About 160 million U.S. adults — or 74 percent of holiday shoppers — plan on purchasing tech gifts this season, according to the Consumer Technology Association’s 22nd Annual CE Holiday Purchase Patterns Study, which predicts holiday tech spending will reach $34.2 billion this year. Top gifts include smartphones, headphones, tablets and portable Bluetooth speakers, while 12 percent of shoppers indicate they plan to purchase a wearable device. CTA has identified six types of tech shoppers that could help retailers better understand the preferences of today’s consumers.

The CTA Blog reports: “One in three shoppers plan to buy emerging technology… the highest number CTA has recorded. Young consumers are driving those purchases. Digital Natives, who tend to be 18-24 years old, are twice as likely to buy a smartwatch this season than the average consumer. Yet, those shoppers don’t consider themselves early adopters, suggesting that young consumers may already find commonplace products that aren’t yet on the shopping list of other consumers.”

According to CTA, the Old-School Deal Seeker (35-44, male) will purchase DVDs, video games and e-books — but lists TVs, tablets and smartphones on his wish list.

Digital Natives are most likely to buy game consoles, auto accessories and emerging tech such as smartwatches and drones. They are also expected to spend more this season than in previous years.

The Multi-Tasking Mom on the Move (25-34) is thrifty and will be looking for deals on DVDs, tablets and earbuds. She typically doesn’t start shopping until Black Friday and may also buy subscriptions to streaming services.

The Self-Gifting Techie (18-34, male) also starts on Black Friday and is more likely to shop via a mobile device. Headphones, smartphones, laptops and smart devices for the connected home top his list of purchases — while a laptop, game console and car top his wish list.

CTA says that 59 percent of Sunday Paper Early Birds (55+, female) will purchase gift cards, while 51 percent of Tech-Savvy Holiday Warrior Dads (25-34, male) will buy earbuds.

“Retailers are responding with longer-running deals, more sophisticated mobile shopping and bridges between in-person and online shopping, notes the CTA Blog. “These efforts help to personalize the holiday shopping experience around each consumer’s unique habits and behavior, even if it’s still not enough to get the Sunday Paper Early Bird to buy a drone this holiday season.”

Related:
More Americans Plan to Purchase Tech Amid Record-Setting Holiday Season, Press Release, 10/8/15